Plans to close the Welshpool Air Ambulance base were called “irrational, illogical and ill conceived” at a public meeting.

The comments were made at the first meeting of the public consultation on the future of the service in Wales.

The County Times revealed last year that proposals had been made to close the current bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon and relocate them to a new North Wales site.

This was the first set of meetings discussing not only these plans but also other options of how the service could be changed as part of a public consultation run by the NHS’s Emergency Ambulance Service Committee.

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Members of the public pleaded for the service not to be taken away asking “what possible benefit would this plan be for the people of mid Wales? -none” and said they would be “taking away the only lifeline from Mid Wales” if the base in Welshpool closed.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Ambulance Service Commissioner, Stephen Harrhy who was joined by Chief Executive of the Wales Air Ambulance Charity Dr Sue Barnes and Dr Ami Jones who is a consultant who works as part of the emergency teams.

County Times:

The panel were given tough questions with many questioning their methodology, one person called the idea “irrational, illogical and ill conceived” and another said: “I don’t think the data you used was appropriate in any shape or form.”

Mr Harrhy confirmed that the data was being added to give a more accurate picture and that they wished to get other factors being brought forward by the public at meetings so that it could be taken into account and welcomed new proposals from the public.

He also stressed that the closure of the Welshpool base was just one idea they were discussing and that others involved changes in management at the bases including more night flights.

County Times:

However there were at times some exchanges where the panel seemed unbale to give a clear answer. Audience member Kathy Brooks asked as the change would be nearly 70 miles further away from her and would add 20 minutes to the round trip, “what would that delay mean in terms of my medical outcomes?”

Initially Ms Brooks felt they did not answer the question directly and when other audience members pressed further with the question they were told there was no data available to answer that point.   

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Organiser of the Campaign to save the base Cynthia Duce was pleased with the turnout but said: “This meeting means nothing, the fight goes on - we’re not giving up, we’re not stopping until we keep the service in Welshpool.”

Fellow organiser Teresa Morgan added that they wanted as many people to go to their local meeting as possible.

“It’s for everybody to have their say, there are no wrong questions everybody’s question is valid and important because it is our lifeline in Mid Wales," she said. 

"We want as many people to ask as many important and pertinent questions as possible.”

The next meetings will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground on April 13 before further meetings in Knighton on April 18, Welshpool on April 26 and Machynlleth in May.